Short Reports

Sears, Roebuck and Co. severed ties with trendy Italian clothier Benetton, whose ad campaign featuring death row inmates upset customers. The ads, which began appearing in magazines and on billboards last month, feature portraits of American death row inmates in prison uniforms over the words, “Sentenced to Death.” The ads also give the inmate’s name, date of birth, crime and expected method of execution. Benetton officials said the ads were meant to raise awareness about the death penalty.

Microsoft introduced its new Windows 2000 operating system Thursday.

Michigan law enforcers threatened Thursday to sue the online advertising firm DoubleClick Inc. for violating consumers’ privacy, adding to a growing list of protests against the company and sending its stock into a tailspin. The Federal Trade Commission and the New York State Attorney General’s office are already looking into whether DoubleClick misled Web users over its collection and use of personal details about them.